Florian Findler, Norma Schönherr, Rodrigo Lozano, Daniela Reider and André Martinuzzi
This paper aims to conceptualize impacts of higher education institutions (HEIs) on sustainable development (SD), complementing previous literature reviews by broadening the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to conceptualize impacts of higher education institutions (HEIs) on sustainable development (SD), complementing previous literature reviews by broadening the perspective from what HEIs do in pursuit of SD to how these activities impact society, the environment and the economy.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper provides a systematic literature review of peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2005 and 2017. Inductive content analysis was applied to identify major themes and impact areas addressed in the literature to develop a conceptual framework detailing the relationship between HEIs’ activities and their impacts on SD.
Findings
The paper identifies six impact areas where direct and indirect impacts of HEIs on SD may occur. The findings indicate a strong focus on case studies dealing with specific projects and a lack of studies analyzing impacts from a more holistic perspective.
Practical implications
This systematic literature review enables decision-makers in HEIs, researchers and educators to better understand how their activities may affect society, the environment and the economy, and it provides a solid foundation to tackle these impacts.
Social implications
The review highlights that HEIs have an inherent responsibility to make societies more sustainable. HEIs must embed SD into their systems while considering their impacts on society.
Originality/value
This paper provides a holistic conceptualization of HEIs’ impacts on SD. The conceptual framework can be useful for future research that attempts to analyze HEIs’ impacts on SD from a holistic perspective.
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Keywords
Norma Schönherr, Heike Vogel-Pöschl, Florian Findler and André Martinuzzi
While corporate social responsibility (CSR) standards are amongst the most widely adopted instruments for supporting firms in becoming more accountable, firms who adopt them…
Abstract
Purpose
While corporate social responsibility (CSR) standards are amongst the most widely adopted instruments for supporting firms in becoming more accountable, firms who adopt them frequently fail to comply. In this context, the purpose of this study is to explore to what extent CSR standards are designed for accountability. In the analysis, this paper investigates design characteristics related to accountability across different standard types, namely, principle-based, reporting, certification and process standards.
Design/methodology/approach
This study reviews the design characteristics of 50 CSR standards in a systematic and comparative fashion. This paper combines qualitative deductive coding with exploratory quantitative analyses methods to elucidate structural variance and patterns of accountability-related design characteristics across the sample.
Findings
This study finds that the prevalence of design characteristics aimed at fostering accountability varies significantly between different types of standards. This paper identifies three factors related to the specific purpose of any given standard that explain this structural variation in design characteristics, namely, implementability, comparability and measurability.
Practical implications
Non-compliance limits the effectiveness and legitimacy of CSR standards. The systematic exploration of patterns and structural variation in design characteristics that promote accountability may provide valuable clues for the design of more effective CSR standards in the future.
Social implications
Better understanding the role of design characteristics of CSR standards is critical to ensure they contribute to greater corporate accountability.
Originality/value
This study strives to expand the current understanding of the design characteristics of CSR standards beyond individual cases through a systematic exploration of accountability-related design characteristics across a larger sample.
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Yuanyuan Cai, Mengmeng Wang, Haiyang Huang and Quanyu Jiang
The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically disrupted everyday life, leading to a cascade of negative emotional responses such as death anxiety. Against this backdrop, the purpose of…
Abstract
Purpose
The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically disrupted everyday life, leading to a cascade of negative emotional responses such as death anxiety. Against this backdrop, the purpose of this paper is to focus on the buffering effect of brand attachment on death anxiety by exploring the roles of brand concepts and brand positioning on psychological compensation for security.
Design/methodology/approach
This multi-method paper features four studies and shows how brands can offer emotional support under high-risk circumstances.
Findings
Study 1 includes two surveys which offer preliminary evidence that death anxiety can enhance consumers’ brand attachment. Study 2 reveals a causal effect wherein consumers experiencing death anxiety are more likely to attach to brands with a self-transcendence (vs self-enhancement) concept. Study 3 examines the mediating role of need for security in the relationship between death anxiety and attachment to brands with a self-transcendence concept. Further, Study 4 indicates the moderating role of brand positioning: self-transcendence brands adopting local (vs global) positioning strategies are more likely to satisfy consumers’ need for security, thereby leading to strong brand attachment.
Originality/value
The findings of this paper contribute to the brand attachment literature and to the global branding literature regarding consumers’ emotional responses in the context of COVID-19. This paper innovatively frames brand concepts and brand positioning and provides actionable guidelines to help brands satisfy consumers’ needs amid a worldwide crisis.
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Liang Xiang and Hyun Jung Park
This study aims to provide a new perspective on the impact of mortality threats on consumer behavior through the lens of brand anthropomorphism. It examines the mediating effects…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to provide a new perspective on the impact of mortality threats on consumer behavior through the lens of brand anthropomorphism. It examines the mediating effects of control and connectedness motives and the moderating effects of brand roles on the relationship between mediators and brand attitudes.
Design/methodology/approach
A preliminary study explored the relationship between pandemic-induced mortality threats and attitudes toward anthropomorphized brands. Study 1 investigated the underlying mechanism, and Study 2 examined the moderating effects of servant or partner roles. Study 3 confirmed the mortality threat effect on anthropomorphic brand attitudes in the absence of the pandemic.
Findings
The study revealed that mortality threats enhanced the desire for control and connectedness, which strengthened attitudes toward anthropomorphized brands. The results also indicated matching effects between the motivations for anthropomorphism and brand roles.
Originality/value
This research offers novel insights into the effects of pandemic-induced mortality threats and mortality threats in non-pandemic contexts on anthropomorphic motives. It highlights the influence of these psychological needs on consumer responses to brand roles and provides insights for brand management during a crisis.